The app cannot find the backup file(s)!

There could be a couple of reasons for this:

  • I’ve moved my SD card from an older phone to a new phone.

More phones now come with built-in (internal) storage, and shows the internal storage as the SD card to the app. Therefore, when the app looks for the backup files, it is directed to look at the internal SD card and not the external SD card. You can try one of the following:

  • Change the Backup folder in the app to point to the external storage card:
  1. The app has built-in options to browse and select external storage cards. Open the Preferences screen (Menu > Preference)
  2. Click on the “Backup Folder” preference
  3. The app will list the storage cards that it has detected on the phone.
  4. Select “External Storage,” if it’s listed. The path in the text box will change to the detected storage card path
  5. Tap the “Browse…” button
  6. Locate the existing “SMSBackupRestore” folder on the SD Card. For example:
  7. Samsung Vibrant/Galaxy S phones: “/sdcard/sd/SMSBackupRestore/”
  8. Samsung Galaxy S II phones: “/sdcard/external_sd/SMSBackupRestore/”
  9. Some other phones (Motorola Droid/X/3/Bionic): “/sdcard-ext/SMSBackupRestore/”
  10. Select the folder
  11. Close the preferences
  12. Perform the Restore
  • Copy the “SMSBackupRestore” folder from the external SD card to the internal storage, and then restore from there:
    1. Create a new backup on the new phone, this will make sure that the required folder is created. You can name the file so that it’s easily identifiable later
    2. Connect the phone to a computer and mount the storage so that it’s accessible on the computer
    3. Locate the “SMSBackupRestore” folder on the phone’s storage and copy the old backup file to that folder
    4. Unmount the storage from the computer
    5. Perform the Restore and select the file copied in the earlier step

 

  • A factory reset was performed on my phone.

    Depending on the make/model of the phone, a factory reset can delete everything on the phone’s memory and storage area, including SD Cards.In cases like these the backup file may actually be deleted from the phone and hence the app is not able to find it.

    Before attempting a factory reset, always make sure that a copy of the backup is stored outside the phone. If the app cannot find the backup files, then you can try searching for them by connecting your phone to a computer and searching for *.xml files on the storage card of the phone.